ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

How Daughter Is Different From Mother ... In Yeast Cells Posted: 23 Aug 2008 07:00 PM CDT Scientists know how mother and daughter can be so different. Mother and daughter yeast cells, that is. The researchers have discovered a new mechanism for cell fate determination -- how one cell, the daughter, becomes dramatically different from the mother, even though they have the same genetic material. The study shows why mothers and daughters differ in how they express their genes: a certain gene regulator gets trapped in the daughter cell's nucleus.

Rapid Test For Pathogens: Could Be Used To Detect Diseases Used By Bioterrorists Posted: 23 Aug 2008 07:00 PM CDT Dangerous disease often spreads faster than it takes to diagnose it in the lab. To remedy that, researchers at Kansas State University have developed a test to bring that time from days down to hours.

Drier, Warmer Springs In US Southwest Stem From Human-caused Changes In Winds Posted: 23 Aug 2008 07:00 PM CDT Human-driven changes in the westerly winds are bringing hotter and drier springs to the American Southwest, according to new research from the University of Arizona in Tucson. Since the 1970s the winter storm track in the western US has been shifting north, particularly in the late winter. As a result, fewer winter storms bring rain and snow to Southern California, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, western Colorado and western New Mexico.

Stroke Incidence Declines Among Swedish Diabetics Posted: 23 Aug 2008 07:00 PM CDT The incidence of strokes among both diabetics and nondiabetics in Northern Sweden declined between 1985 and 2003. The overall decline in strokes among diabetics may be partly due to more intensive treatment of hypertension, smoking cessation and cholesterol-lowering efforts. More recurrent strokes occurred among diabetic than nondiabetic patients, so more intensive secondary prevention for diabetic patients is needed.

Pangea Conundrum Posted: 23 Aug 2008 07:00 PM CDT The existence of the supercontinent Pangea, which formed about 300 million years ago and broke up about 200 million years ago, is a cornerstone of plate tectonics, and processes resulting in its assembly and fragmentation have governed the evolution of Earth's crust for 500 million years. Over the past 20 years, evidence has been amassing that Pangea is just the latest in a series of supercontinents that formed repeatedly since the Archean, only to break up and reform again.

Insomnia: Changing Your Bedtime Habits Could Help Posted: 23 Aug 2008 07:00 PM CDT Many people sleep better when they are on holiday, and wish that they could sleep as well all the time. But according to the German Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care, it is not only being free of daily worries that can make a difference to sleep. Good bedtime habits can help people to sleep well all year-round. Medication provides short-term relief at best.

Genome Of Simplest Animal Reveals Ancient Lineage, Confounding Array Of Complex Capabilities Posted: 23 Aug 2008 01:00 PM CDT The genome of the simple and primitive animal, Trichoplax adhaerens, appears to harbor a far more complex suite of capabilities than meets the eye. The findings establish a group of organisms as a branching point of animal evolution and identify sets of genes, or a "parts list," employed by organisms that have evolved along particular branches.

Drugs To Inhibit Blood Vessel Growth Show Promise In Rat Model Of Deadly Brain Tumor Posted: 23 Aug 2008 01:00 PM CDT Drugs used to inhibit a specific fatty acid in rat brains with glioblastoma-like tumors not only reduced new blood vessel growth and tumor size dramatically, but also prolonged survival.

Fish Cancer Gene Linked To Pigment Pattern That Attracts Mates Posted: 23 Aug 2008 01:00 PM CDT Though skin cancer is deadly to male fish, it also has one perk: The black melanoma splotches arise from attractive natural markings that lure female mates. A new study shows that the melanoma gene can be conserved in swordtail fish because of its beneficial role in sexual selection.

Compression Stockings Incorrectly Used In 29 Percent Of Patients Posted: 23 Aug 2008 01:00 PM CDT Graduated compression stockings were used incorrectly in 29 percent of the patients and sized incorrectly in 26 percent of the patients according to new research. These stockings play an important role in preventing the formation of deep vein clots that can result in pulmonary complications and death.

Biological Chips For Disease Detection, Drug Discovery, Now Easy To Make With New Method Posted: 23 Aug 2008 01:00 PM CDT Scientists have developed a new and fast method for making biological 'chips' – technology that could lead to quick testing for serious diseases, fast detection of MRSA infections and rapid discovery of new drugs. Protein chips – or 'protein arrays' as they are more commonly known – are objects such as slides that have proteins attached to them and allow important scientific data about the behavior of proteins to be gathered.

Hormone Replacement Therapy Improves Sleep, Sexuality And Joint Pain In Older Women Posted: 23 Aug 2008 01:00 PM CDT One of the world's longest and largest trials of hormone replacement therapy has found that post-menopausal women on HRT gain significant improvements in quality of life.

New Climate Record Shows Century-long Droughts In Eastern North America Posted: 23 Aug 2008 07:00 AM CDT A stalagmite in a West Virginia cave has yielded the most detailed geological record to date on climate cycles in eastern North America over the past 7,000 years. The new study confirms that during periods when Earth received less solar radiation, the Atlantic Ocean cooled, icebergs increased and precipitation fell, creating a series of century-long droughts.

Dense Tissue Promotes Aggressive Cancers Posted: 23 Aug 2008 07:00 AM CDT New research may explain why breast cancer tends to be more aggressive in women with denser breast tissue. Breast cancer cells grown in dense, rigid surroundings step up their invasive activities, according to a new article in Current Biology.

Genes And Nutrition Influence Caste In Unusual Species Of Harvester Ant Posted: 23 Aug 2008 07:00 AM CDT Researchers trying to determine whether nature or nurture determines an ant's status in the colony have found a surprising answer. Both. Nature (that is, the ant's genetic makeup) and nurture (what it eats, for example) play a role in determining the fate of the Florida harvester ant, Pogonomyrmex badius, a resilient creature found in many parts of the southeastern United States.

New Insights Into The Regulation Of PTEN Tumor Suppression Function Posted: 23 Aug 2008 07:00 AM CDT New findings define a pathway that maintains PTEN in the nucleus and offer a novel target for enhancing this gene's tumor suppressive function.

The 160-mile Download Diet: Local File-sharing Drastically Cuts Network Load Posted: 23 Aug 2008 07:00 AM CDT New research shows that sharing digital files locally relieves pressure on the Internet service provider by as much as five times, while actually speeding up the transfer.

Is It Possible To Teach Experience? European Researchers Say Yes Posted: 23 Aug 2008 07:00 AM CDT Business veterans claim you cannot teach 'experience', but European researchers say you can. The team developed software that helps players acquire real-life skills and realistic experiences through game playing. But this game is no executive toy.

Some Cells Self-destruct For The Greater Common Good Posted: 22 Aug 2008 07:00 PM CDT Individual cells in a population of bacteria can sacrifice their lives for others to achieve a greater common good. Biologists have described a new biological concept in which self-sacrifice and self-destruction play an important role.

Why A Common Treatment For Prostate Cancer Ultimately Fails Posted: 22 Aug 2008 07:00 PM CDT Some of the drugs given to many men during their fight against prostate cancer can actually spur some cancer cells to grow, researchers have found.

With Skate Eyes, Scientists Peer Into Human Disease Posted: 22 Aug 2008 07:00 PM CDT Paradoxically, the photoreceptor cells in our retinas release more of their neurotransmitter, glutamate, in the dark, when there is nothing to see, than they do in the light. This is doubly surprising since although glutamate is a major signaling molecule in the retina and throughout the central nervous system, it is also a potent cytotoxin that, in large doses, can kill nearby cells.

For Coronary Artery Disease Patients, B Vitamins May Not Reduce Cardiovascular Events Posted: 22 Aug 2008 07:00 PM CDT In a large clinical trial involving patients with coronary artery disease, use of B vitamins was not effective for preventing death or cardiovascular events, according to a study published in the Aug. 20 issue of JAMA.

New Algorithm Significantly Boosts Routing Efficiency Of Networks Posted: 22 Aug 2008 07:00 PM CDT A time-and-money-saving question shared by commuters in their cars and networks sharing ever-changing Internet resources is: "What's the best way to get from here to there?"

Elderly Patients Less Likely To Be Transported To Trauma Centers Than Younger Patients Posted: 22 Aug 2008 07:00 PM CDT Elderly trauma patients appear to be less likely than younger patients to be transported to a trauma center, possibly because of unconscious age bias among emergency medical services personnel, according to a report in the August issue of Archives of Surgery, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

Malaria Researchers Identify New Mosquito Virus Posted: 22 Aug 2008 04:00 PM CDT Researchers have identified a previously unknown virus that is infectious to Anopheles gambiae -- the mosquito primarily responsible for transmitting malaria.

Researchers Test New Vaccine To Fight Multiple Influenza Strains Posted: 22 Aug 2008 04:00 PM CDT A universal vaccine effective against several strains of influenza has passed its first phase of testing. VaxInnate's M2e universal vaccine could possibly protect against seasonal and pandemic influenza strains.

Computer-generated Images: Hollywood Hair Will Be Captured At Last Posted: 22 Aug 2008 04:00 PM CDT Imagine avatars of your favorite actors wandering through 3-D virtual worlds with hair that looks almost exactly like it does in real life. This level of realism for animated hairstyles is one step closer to the silver screen, thanks to new research being presented at SIGGRAPH, one of the most competitive computer graphics conferences in the world.

New And Improved Test For West Nile Virus In Horses Posted: 22 Aug 2008 04:00 PM CDT A new test for West Nile virus in horses that could be modified for use with humans and wildlife may help track the spread of the disease.

Improved Technique Determines Structure In Membrane Proteins Posted: 22 Aug 2008 04:00 PM CDT By combining custom-built spectrometers, novel probe designs and faster pulse sequences, scientists have developed unique capabilities for probing protein chemistry and structure through the use of solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy.

Pre-school Age Exercises Can Prevent Dyslexia, New Research Shows Posted: 22 Aug 2008 04:00 PM CDT Atypical characteristics of children's linguistic development are early signs of the risk of developing reading and writing disabilities, or dyslexia. New research points to preventive exercises as an effective means to tackle the challenges children face when learning to read.

Stellar Stillbirths: Brown Dwarfs Revealed As Third Class Of Celestial Bodies After Stars And Planets Posted: 22 Aug 2008 01:00 PM CDT Brown dwarfs need to be treated as a separate class of celestial body in addition to stars and planets, researchers have found. Until now, brown dwarfs had been merely regarded as stars which were below normal size. However, they may well be stellar 'miscarriages.'

Compounds Have Potential For Diagnosis, Treatment Of Alzheimer's Disease Posted: 22 Aug 2008 01:00 PM CDT New research suggests that a select group of compounds that interact with a protein in the brain might be used in the early diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer's disease and other dementia disorders. Scientists have discovered that these compounds interact in three specific ways with the tau protein, which is the subject of a growing body of research into the causes and progression of dementia.

Climate Change Could Be Impetus For Wars, Other Conflicts, Expert Says Posted: 22 Aug 2008 01:00 PM CDT Some international-security experts say that climate-change-related damage to global ecosystems and the resulting competition for natural resources may increasingly serve as triggers for wars and other conflicts in the future.

To Protect Against Liver Disease, Body Puts Cells 'Under Arrest' Posted: 22 Aug 2008 01:00 PM CDT A stable form of cell-cycle arrest known to offer potent protection against cancer also limits liver fibrosis, a condition characterized by an excess of fibrous tissue, according to a new report.

Turning Up The Heat On Tomatoes Boosts Absorption Of Lycopene Posted: 22 Aug 2008 01:00 PM CDT Turning up the heat on the red tomato during processing has the potential to give the popular garden staple added disease-fighting power. Scientists have found that lycopene molecules in tomatoes that are combined with fat and subjected to intense heat during processing are restructured in a way that appears to ease their transport into the bloodstream and tissue. The tomato is the primary food source of lycopene, a naturally occurring pigment linked to the prevention of cancer and other chronic diseases.

Positive Thinking May Protect Against Breast Cancer Posted: 22 Aug 2008 01:00 PM CDT Feelings of happiness and optimism play a positive role against breast cancer. New research suggests that while staying positive has a protective role, adverse life events such as the loss of a parent or close relative, divorce or the loss of a spouse can increase a woman's risk of developing the disease.

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